Abstract Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare between early versus Delayed Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy for Acute Cholecystitis. Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Patna Medical College and Hospital Patna, Bihar, India. 100 patients with physical, laboratory, and ultrasound findings suggested acute cholecystitis, and who were operated on by laparoscopy were included in the study. The early operation group was operated on within 24 hours of admission (50 patients), whereas the late operation group was operated on after 6 to 8 weeks following the initial treatment (50 patients). Results: The study groups, which underwent early or delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy, showed no difference in age and sex distribution. Initial clinical findings and medical history were also similar between groups, except for fever, which was significantly higher in the early laparoscopic cholecystectomy group. Both groups revealed similar physical examination findings: all patients had tenderness and defense in the abdominal area (this term means tensing the muscles in the abdominal area, a clinical finding that may present when the internal organs are inflamed in some manner) and 90% had Murphy sign, and 12% in the early and 26% in the late laparoscopic cholecystectomy groups had rebound tenderness. Blood count and liver function results were not different between groups. Ultrasonographic findings were similar between groups. There was no significant difference between the early and the delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy groups in terms of operation time and rates for conversion to open cholecystectomy. Conclusion: Despite intraoperative and postoperative complications being associated more with early laparoscopic cholecystectomy compared with delayed intervention, early laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be preferred for treatment of acute cholecystitis because of its advantages of shorter hospital stay.

Abstract Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare between early versus Delayed Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy for Acute Cholecystitis. Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Patna Medical College and Hospital Patna, Bihar, India. 100 patients with physical, laboratory, and ultrasound findings suggested acute cholecystitis, and who were operated on by laparoscopy were included in the study. The early operation group was operated on within 24 hours of admission (50 patients), whereas the late operation group was operated on after 6 to 8 weeks following the initial treatment (50 patients). Results: The study groups, which underwent early or delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy, showed no difference in age and sex distribution. Initial clinical findings and medical history were also similar between groups, except for fever, which was significantly higher in the early laparoscopic cholecystectomy group. Both groups revealed similar physical examination findings: all patients had tenderness and defense in the abdominal area (this term means tensing the muscles in the abdominal area, a clinical finding that may present when the internal organs are inflamed in some manner) and 90% had Murphy sign, and 12% in the early and 26% in the late laparoscopic cholecystectomy groups had rebound tenderness. Blood count and liver function results were not different between groups. Ultrasonographic findings were similar between groups. There was no significant difference between the early and the delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy groups in terms of operation time and rates for conversion to open cholecystectomy. Conclusion: Despite intraoperative and postoperative complications being associated more with early laparoscopic cholecystectomy compared with delayed intervention, early laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be preferred for treatment of acute cholecystitis because of its advantages of shorter hospital stay.